Hidden Scotland
Sign in
The stony dome of Càrn Mairg from Meall na Aighean, grass slopes in sun and shadow.
Ben Lawers and Glen Lyon

Carn Mairg

A Munro of 1,043 metres, number 91 of the 282.

On the hill todayI was up today
The hill

Carn Mairg is the highest of the four Munros on the north side of Glen Lyon in Perthshire, above Invervar.

Schiehallion is its neighbour across the hills, about four and a half kilometres to the north-east.

North Chesthill Estate keeps these hills. It is a small family estate run along traditional lines, with sheep and cattle farming, deer stalking, and fishing for salmon and trout. Nine tenths of it is open hill moorland, and the ground is a Site of Special Scientific Interest.

A large cairn marks the summit.

The start
Invervar in Glen Lyon. North Chesthill Estate, which keeps these hills, has a recognised round from there, walked clockwise. Its map takes in Carn Gorm, An Sgorr, Meall Garbh, Meall a' Bharr and Carn Mairg, in that order.
The estate asks
Stay on the ridges and out of the corries, walk quietly, and keep dogs on leads at all times. From May to July, be off the hill well before dusk, which the estate gives as 7pm, so that the hinds can go back to their calves.
Stalking
The estate's deer stalking began on 1 September 2026, and it asks walkers to go elsewhere in September and October. On stalking days notices go up in the car park and at the hill gate. In 2026 its news page listed 18, 22 and 23 October as days with no stalking. Its leaflet says stalking goes on from September to January, so read its news page and its notices before any autumn or winter day.
Mountaineering Scotland
Mountaineering Scotland, which represents hillwalkers, takes a different view of the two-month request. Its advice, given in August 2026, is to follow the established circular route, keeping to the ridges and out of the corries except in an emergency.
Summit
Grid reference NN 684 512, at a large cairn.
Car park
The estate provides the Glen Lyon Visitor Car Park at Invervar, marked on its map for up to 6 vehicles. If it is full, the estate asks you to park and walk elsewhere and come back another day.
The road
Perth and Kinross Council lists the C448 from Fortingall to Bridge of Balgie as a rural clearway: no stopping on the road or its verges. Its clearways have a limited number of lay-bys, marked with a blue P sign, and they fill up quickly. The estate asks walkers not to park on verges, in lay-bys or in passing places.
Food
The estate's leaflet suggests the post office at Bridge of Balgie for lunch or tea and cakes. In 2026 the branch opens from 10am every day but Wednesday, but those are the counter's hours, not the kitchen's, so check before counting on lunch.
On the hill today
0° to 4°Drizzle on the summit, 1,043 m. Feels like −4° in the wind.

West wind to 15 mph, gusting 29
Dry, or nearly
Light from 7.50am to 6.13pm, ten hours

Sat 17Some cloud−3° to 3° on top · 11 mph, gusts 23
Sun 18Clear−4° to 3° on top · 8 mph, gusts 15
Mon 19Drizzle−7° to 5° on top · 5 mph, gusts 12

A weather model's forecast for the height of the summit, not a report from the hill. Read the mountain forecast the evening before: Southeastern Highlands forecast, West Highlands forecast, South Grampian and Southeast Highlands mountain forecast, Carn Mairg, No avalanche forecast for these hills.

October2026

MTWTFSS

Going another day?

Choose the day you mean to climb.Near or far: the light you will have, and what the summit is likely to be doing.

Càrn Mairg's stony top above the green slopes of Coire Chearcaill, from below Meall na Aighean.
Before you go

Carry

  • A paper map and a compass, and the skill to use them
  • Waterproofs, warm layers, hat and gloves
  • Food and drink
  • A head torch, a whistle and a first aid kit
  • A survival bag
  • Boots with a good grip

Under snow and ice this is a different day, with short light and the risk of avalanche. It needs an ice axe, crampons, winter boots and the skill to use them.

If something goes wrong

  • Dial 999, ask for the police, then mountain rescue
  • Give a six-figure grid reference: the summit is NN 684 512
  • Say how many are hurt, how many are with you, and your number
  • Register to text 999 before the day: text the word register to 999

The summit is optional. Turning back is the right decision whenever the cloud, the wind or the light say so.

How to call for help in the hills · Safety and skills for the hills · ThinkWINTER

From our readers

Nobody has written from Carn Mairg yet. If you were up, yours would be the first.

Tell the next person

Were you up? Three words is enough.A free account, a word for the weather and a line if you like.

Sign in to tell them
From the magazine
Read more elsewhere

For the route itself, take the map and read these.

Sleep and eat at its foot

Next along: Meall na Aighean, Meall Garbh, Schiehallion, Carn Gorm. Checked on 10 October 2026. The facts on this page are North Chesthill Estate's, Perth and Kinross Council's, Mountaineering Scotland's and the Post Office's; the forecasts are the Mountain Weather Information Service's, the Met Office's and the Scottish Avalanche Information Service's. Height and position from The Database of British and Irish Hills, v18.3, adapted, CC BY 4.0. This page is not a route description and does not replace a map.